Burning bed at Americana Center evacuates residents

Montgomery County firefighters responded to the Americana Center last night around 9:45 PM, after a mattress caught fire on the 13th floor of the building. A partial evacuation was required due to smoke, according to Montgomery County Fire and Rescue spokesperson Pete Piringer. Firefighters quickly got the fire under control, however. No injuries were reported.

Rockville adopts new development extension policy

The Mayor and Council approved a new development extension Zoning Text Amendment for Rockville at Monday night's meeting. Under the new regulation, developments that receive extensions from the city can have that time suspended (tolled) while the project is involved in litigation. Once a court decision is handed down, the extension time would resume again.

Developers will also now receive a possible two extensions - the first will be a one-year extension, and the second, a 6-month extension.

Establishing the new policy "gives the applicant an opportunity, and the city, to get all of their ducks in a row. I think this is a good rule for us to have," Councilmember Tom Moore said prior to the vote.

The Mayor and Council voted unanimously to approve the Zoning Text Amendment. A development at 1900 Chapman Avenue filed the ZTA. Its final extension would have expired this August.

Photo: City of Rockville

Vilardo deaths ruled homicides by "sharp force injuries"

Montgomery County Police report that the state medical examiner has ruled the deaths of Richard and Julianne Vilardo of Rockville as "homicides that were caused by sharp force injuries."

Detectives are also investigating new information that Richard and Julianne Vilardo were in the Charles Town, West Virginia area on Saturday evening, May 9. The couple had dinner with friends there, police say. The Vilardos came home that evening, and were found dead by family members the next day at their home on Ridge Drive.

With the ruling of the medical examiner, the possibility that a murderer is at large is now confirmed. Whether that person or persons lives in the area, or remains in the area is a major question - as is the motive in the homicides - in relation to whether this indicates an ongoing danger to the community, or an isolated incident.

Anyone with information regarding the deaths of Richard and Julianne Vilardo is asked to contact Montgomery County Police at 301.279.8000. For those who wish to remain anonymous and be eligible for up to a $10,000 reward, please call Crime Solvers of Montgomery County toll-free at 1-866-411-TIPS (8477).

Adjourned in Rockville, but compensation discussion to continue

Another long Mayor and Council meeting threatened to go beyond the hoped-for 11:00 PM time limit Monday night. That led to what, by my recollection, is a rare occurrence - the Mayor and Council voting in advance to end the meeting by 11:00.

The motion passed 3-2, with Mayor Bridget Donnell Newton and Councilmembers Virginia Onley and Beryl Feinberg voting in favor.

Most of the meeting was taken up with the complex discussion of the Compensation and Classification report regarding city employees. That discussion concluded with Newton and Onley seeking more clarification on at least one point from city staff and the consulting firm. City Manager Barbara Matthews said she did not want to set a date for that continuation before having a better sense of when staff would have that data ready to present.

The meeting was adjourned around 11:00, as voted upon.

Murderer at large in Rockville? Police believe an intruder entered Vilardo home through window

Montgomery County Police released a significant piece of information in the investigation of how a Rockville couple were killed at their home this past weekend. Police officers found Richard Vilardo and Julianne Vilardo dead early Sunday afternoon at their Glen Hills home in the 13200 block of Ridge Drive.

The couple was last known to be alive Saturday night, May 9, detectives say. But they've revealed that the presumed killer may have entered the Vilardo home through an unlocked window. The window in question was not broken, but was likely unlatched, they said.

Results from the state medical examiner in Baltimore are still pending, police said yesterday.

The announcement is troubling for the community, as it suggests the possibility that a killer is at large. However, police are not characterizing the situation that way yet, and we can't say for sure until the medical examiner provides more information. It does sound unlikely that this was a domestic dispute, if there is evidence of a third party intruder. That would indeed be of concern to residents, unless it can be determined that this was not a random act of robbery or home invasion.

Anyone with information regarding the deaths of Richard and Julianne Vilardo is asked to contact Montgomery County Police at 301.279.8000.

Homicide investigation after Rockville couple is murdered (Photo)

Montgomery County Police homicide detectives are investigating the deaths of a married couple in the Glen Hills neighborhood of Rockville. Richard Louis Vilardo, 65, and Julianne Humphries Vilardo, 67, were found dead by police Sunday, May 10, when officers responded to a 911 call at 12:18 PM.

Police say both victims were found with "trauma" to the upper body. Julianne Vilardo was found inside the home, and Richard Vilardo was located in the backyard.

Detectives say the two were scheduled to meet family members yesterday morning. When they did not arrive, family members went to the home, where they found the two deceased and called 911.

An autopsy will be performed by the state medical examiner in Baltimore, police said yesterday.

The Washington Post reports that Richard Vilardo was a co-founder of Pinnacle Hotel Management, which develops Marriott and Hilton hotels.

Anyone with information regarding the deaths of Richard and Julianne Vilardo is asked to contact Montgomery County Police at 301.279.8000.

Photo via Montgomery County Police

Public forum on controversial MoCo Independent Transit Authority set for June 17

The Montgomery County Transit Task Force has set a public forum on the controversial proposal to create an unelected taxing authority that could raise unlimited taxes on residents to fund Bus Rapid Transit and other projects. Residents and union leaders overwhelmingly rejected the idea at a raucous public hearing earlier this year. Yet County Executive Ike Leggett is bringing the Independent Transit Authority (ITA) proposal for another swing, via his Transit Task Force.

That task force is holding meetings to discuss the new taxing authority in Rockville amongst themselves. But there will be a "Public Forum" on the unpopular proposal on June 17, from 6:00 PM to 10:00 PM, in the 3rd floor Hearing Room of the County Council office building at 100 Maryland Avenue in Rockville. In the meeting agenda posted online, it says the topics will be the ITA's organization, transfer of functions from existing county agencies (a major point of contention for UFCW Local 400/MCGEO Union President Gino Renne), and - most important to you, the taxpayer - the financial and fiscal implications of the new taxing authority. Questions the task force wants your feedback on will be provided to the public via the Transit Task Force website prior to the forum. However, just what the ability of the public to speak at the forum will be is not specified. Is it a public hearing with a 3 minute speaking time? Or is it a forum where the public will simply be spoken to?

It must be noted that, like the BRT hearing 3 years ago, this forum is being held in the summer. Parents no doubt know that this June 17 meeting will come just after the end of the Montgomery County Public School year. That means many will be leaving for their first summer vacation, which will certainly hold down attendance.

That's probably not an accident. You'd schedule a forum for summer, too, if you were trying to ram through an unelected body that can be handpicked by the County Executive.

An unelected body that can exceed all existing caps and restrictions on tax increases (in fact, the task force is going to be discussing on June 3 the "merits of empowering [the] County to exceed Charter limitations in several respects"). Not the negatives, of course!

Keep in mind that this is the same task force that suggested you should pay a new, 15% property tax increase to fund the BRT system that will primarily benefit real estate developers. You would pay, not the developers, and this was a countywide tax proposal. Do the math.

It's also the same task force whose chairman Mark Winston - as I reported two years ago - could directly benefit financially from the creation of the ITA and a BRT system. Winston, leading the effort to "get you out of your car," memorably admitted "it has been a while" since he rode a bus himself. Something he has in common with the "pro-transit" County Council and Planning Board, as well.

Remember also that this unelected ITA, as described in the legislation the task force is discussing, would not have to show its budget to any elected official. To quote the actual legislation, the ITA would not be required "to submit its capital or its operating budget to the County for approval."

Incredible. Unelected and unaccountable.

Don't forget that the proposal also allows the ITA to take on unlimited debt. It also allows the County Council and Executive to transfer unlimited amounts of debt to the ITA - and then the ITA could use its literally unlimited taxing power to make you pay those unlimited amounts. Unreal.

The ITA would also have unlimited power to seize private property, and sell it at a sweetheart price to developers who contribute to the elected official who appointed them. It would have the power to carry out the demolition of homes and businesses, and not have to answer to the outrage of the landowners at the ballot box.

And speaking of ballots - the legislation would include a provision that would make it impossible for you, the citizens, to put a referendum on the ballot to bring the ITA taxing power under any control or limitation.

This proposal was thoroughly rejected by the citizens and county employees - yet here it comes again, as they do what they do best in the MoCo political machine: ram it through.

Save the date.